Arrangement for releasing and storing ice cubes



L 9 H. Y. JENNINGS ETAL 2,429,882

' ARRANGEMENT FOR RELEASING AND STORING ICE CUBES Original Filed April 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll I.

f H r .5 w a IIII'I'IIIIIIIIIIIIII" I V M.

Oct. 28, 1947. H. Y. JENNINGS EI'AL ARRANGEMENT FOR RELEASING AND STORING ICE CUBES ori inal Filed April 29, 1940 3 Sheets$heet 2 Octl 28, 1947. H. Y. JENNINGS EIAL ARRANGEMENT FOR RELEASING AND STORING ICE CUBES Original Filed April-29, 194D s Shets-Sheets Patented Oct. 28, 1947 ARRANGEMENT FOR RELEASING AND STORING ICE CUBES Harley Y. Jennings, Danville, Va., William F.

Swezey, Upper Darby, Pa., and Fred W. Schouman, Flint, Mich., assignors to Copeman Laboratories Company, Flint, Mich., a corporation of Michigan original application April 29, 1940, Serial No.

332,250. Divided and this application February 28,1944, SerialNo. 524,214.

January 17, 1941 8 Claims. (01. 62-105) This invention relates to refrigeration and particularlyto that-phase of refrigeration relating to the manufacture and dispensing of ice blocks or cubes, as they are commonly known. More specifically the invention relates to methods and apparatus particularly adapted for the removal of ice cubes from the container in which they are frozen and the dispensing of the same as they are required by the user, which methods and apparatus are capable of use in association with or inproximity to the mechanism, as for example the evaporator or low temperature compartment in which the ice cubes are frozen. This application is a division of our previous application SerialNo. 332,250, filed April 29, 1940, and now matured into Patent No. 2,342,670, dated Fe u 29, 1944.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for dispensing ice cubes from a tray from which the grid has been removed.

In Canada grid. 9 The tray which is preferably made of flexirequired.

ble metal, such as sheet aluminum, is then inverted on suitable supports in proximity to a storage receptacle, and flexed whereby the cubes drop into the storage space provided therefor, which space is preferably refrigerated at a sub-freezing temperature, where they are available for use as The storage receptacle may ble or removable container disposed within a refrigerated compartment, or it may be a stationary receptacle provided with means accessible from outside the cabinet for ejecting cubes therefrom without the necessity .of opening the main door of the cabinet, all as will be hereinafter described.

We have found that the most suitable tray and grid combination for practicing our invention An additional object is to provide a means associated with a refrigerator cabinet for assisting in the dispensing or ejection of ice cubes from a tray from which the grid has been removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for flexing a distortable tray having ice cubes adhering to some of the surfaces thereof, whereby to release the cubes therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of 'the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a, front elevational view, partly in section showing a cooling unit 'or evaporator of a refrigerating unit embodying one form of the invention and disposed in the usual refrigerating cabinet.

.Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of Fig. 1 with certain parts in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan .view of one embodiment of a tray flexing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section showing the tray in position prior to being flexed.

Fig. 5 is a. view similar to Fig. 4 with the mechanism in its tray flexing position.

Figs. 6, 7- and 8 are perspective views of modified forms of tray flexingmechanisms, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line l5- l5 of Fig. 8.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the provision of a device associated with refrigerator cabinet, and preferably with the evaporator, for stripping the grid from the tray as the tray is removed from the evaporator, thus doing away with the necessity of carrying the tray to a table or other support in order to remove, the

comprises a flexible metal tray, such as the anodized aluminum trays now in common use, to-

gether with a flexible rubber grid of the general.

type shown in the patent of Harley Y. Jennings 2,303,938, issued December 1, 1942, preferably with some modifications in construction as will be hereafter described.

Referring -to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, l0 designates generage section It. A horizontal top plate I 5 may also be provided, extending from one vertical wall of the evaporator to the other and forming a top closure for the freezing and storage sections.

The freezing section, which is shown in the left portion of the evaporator H in Fig. 1, may be provided with one or more shelves i6 for supporting trays I'I containing substance to be frozen, and any one or more of these shelves may be refrigerated by suitable coils -(not shown) I as is well known in the art.

A means is provided for removing the grid from the frozen ice mass in the tray without removing the tray to a location outside the refrigerator cabinet. This device is fully described in our Patent 2,342,690 above identified. Briefly,

it consists of a rib l8 which is the backbone of a grid. This co-operateswith a track or lifter 21 having flanges 28 pivoted at 30, These flanges engage the lower edges of rib i8 to lift the grid be a simple slidaof a tray away from the tray. The tray is held in place by sides H2 and inturned flanges H3. When the tray is pulled out by use of handle 3|, the grid is stripped from the tray.

Other means may also be used from the tray.

However, it is more usual for only a few cubes to be used at one time and we accordingly prefer to dump the entire contents of the tray into a refrigerated storage bin such as the receptacle 32 (Fig. 1). The use of such a receptacle offers the advantage of a continuous supply of individto strip the grid ual cubes, and the volumetric capacity of such a receptacle is considerably greater than that which would be available if the same space were occupied by separate ice trays.

In order to get the frozen cubes into the storage receptacle, we provide a means for supporting the tray over the storage receptacle after the grid has been removed, and for then mechanically flexing the tray to release the ice cubes into the storage bin. The supporting means comprises a pair of supporting ledges 33 fastened to the vertical partition member 12 and the opposite side wall of the evaporator respectively, and above the receptacle 32.- It will be noted from Figs. 4 and 5 that the ledges 33 are not horizontal, but slope in opposite directions. Thus when a tray is initially placed on the ledges it is supported only at diagonally opposite corners,

'The tray flexing mechanism comprises a pair of interlocking levers 34 and 35 pivoted at 3B and 31 to upright standards 38 and 39 respectively. The inner ends of these levers are freely connected to each other, as by apin and slot joint 40. Each of the levers 34 and 35 has pivotally attached thereto adjacent its end opposite the aforesaid pin and slot connection, a vertically depending link M. A disc or plate 42 having a fiat under surface is pivotally attached to the lower end of each link 4|, and a cushioning pad of rubber 43 may be fastened to this flat undersurf-ace to eliminate abrasive wear on the tray bottom. The standards 38 and 39 are supported on the upper surface of the top plate l5, and the depending links 4! extend through suitable apertures provided in the same top plate l5. Suitable springs 44 surround a portion of each link 4| and are interposed between the top plate and a nut 45 provided on each link, so that the levers 34 and 35 are normally maintained in the lifted position shown in Fig.' 4. The lever 34 may be provided' with a handle member 46, and this handle member may have a pin and slot connection with the end of the lever 34, as indicated at 41, so that the handle may be extended forward to provide additional leverage for the user.

It will" be noted from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the lever arrangement 34, 35 extends diagonally across the bottom of the tray I! when the tray is inverted, and is insuch a position that when pressure is exerted on the handle 46, and consequently on the leverage mechanism, the rubber-faced discs or plates 42 will each contact diagonally opposite corners of the inverted tray, and that these corners are thos which are unsupported by the ledges 33. When such an action takes place the tray is flexed from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 whereupon all the cubes adhering to the tray will be released into the storage receptacle. The movement of the tray in so being flexed will be limited by the an le of slope of the ledges 33, and this angle will in turn be determined by the flexibility of the materiai from which the tray is constructed. We

have found by repeated experiment that the amount of flexing need not be great in order to free all the cubes from the tray, and that practically any of the available trays on the market may be flexed by this apparatus without being permanently distorted. Other arrangements and mechanisms for flexing a tray from which the grid has been stripped are illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, for example, the vertical side walls 50, 5| have fixed thereto U-shaped channel members 52, 53 respectively, which slope slightly in opposite directions. When the flanged rim of an ice tray is slipped into the channels and the tray pushed backwards into the slots the tray is distorted sufficiently to free the ice cubes therefrom.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, the side walls 54 and 55 also have U-shaped channel members attached thereto. The channel member 56 attached to wall 55 is rigidly attached to that wall, while the channel member 51 is pivotally mounted on the wall 54. The wall 54 has a longitudinal slot 58 therein, which slot receives a pin 59 mounted on the channel member 51. The outer end of the channel member 51 may have a small disc or plate fill attached thereto, which disc normally partly rests in a slot 5i provided in the edge of wall 54 and thus maintains the member 51 against rotary motion about the pin 59. However, after the flanged edge or rim of an ice tray has been inserted between the aforesaid channel members, the member 5'! may be pulled forward as far as the slot 53 will permit, and at the same time the disc 60 will be released from the slot 5| so the channel member 51 can be rotated around the pivot pin 53, and thus flex the tray to release the cubes from the tray.

The device illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 operates in a manner similar to that of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 7. The tray receiving device in this embodiment comprises a pair of U-shaped horizontally disposed wire members 62 spaced apart a distance sufficient to receive the side and end flanges of the rim of an ice tray. These wires are rigidly attached at one side thereof to the side wall 64, as by rivets 65, but at the rear end of the other side they are pivotally attached, as shown at 56, to the opposite wall 53. U-shaped piece 61 may be attached to the free ends of the wire members 62 so that it extends around th end of the wall member 63. Thus, when the rim of an ice tray is inserted between the U-shaped wires 62, one side and one end of the tray rim are held rigid while the other side and end of the tray may be flexed by moving the handle 8' upwardly or downwardly, of both.

Obviously any of the embodiments shown in Figs. 6 to 9 may be substituted in the evaporator for the device shown in Fig. 1. Also it is readily apparent that any of the flexing devices may be used independently of an evaporator, or with the tray in its normal position and not inverted.

It may be desirable to use the space normally occupied by the tray when it is being flexed, for freezing purposes, and withthis in mind we have provided this space with a pair of hinged shelves 10, which shelves are disposed in the full line position of Fig. 1 when a tray is to be dumped, and in the full line position shown in Fig. 2, when ice is to be frozen in a tray supported thereon. Because the ledges 32 are sloped in opposite directions as previously described, and it is necessary that the shelves be substantially in a true horizontal position when ice is to be frozen in a tray supported thereby, we provide wedge-snaped supports a 12 extending substantially the full length of the ledges 32 so as to provide a horizontal upper edge to which the shelves I are pivotally attached as indicated at II. Preferably the hinges used are what are commonly known as piano hinges in order to secure the maximum physical contact and consequently the best heat conduction with the evaporator walls. Obviously the use of such hinged shelves is not limited to use in the particular evaporator construction herein described, but can be used in any evaporator where additional storage space is sometimesdesirable, as for example in the storage of frozen foods.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it is readily apparent that other forms may be adopted, all coming within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In combination, a support, an ice tray disposed on said support in an inverted position, said tray containing a plurality of separated ice blocks therein and adhering thereto, a storage receptacle disposed below said support, and means for exerting ,a twisting force on said tray to rotate the ends in opposite directions and thereby release the ice blocks therefrom into said storage receptacle.

2. In combination, a support comprising a pair of members sloping in opposite directions from a horizontal plane, an ice tray supported in an inverted position on said members at diagonally opposite corners oi. said tray, said ice tray containing a plurality of separated ice blocks therein and adhering thereto, a storage receptacle disposed below said support, and means to exert pressure on the unsupported diagonally opposite corners of said inverted tray whereby to twist the tray and release the ice blocks therefrom into said storage receptacle.

3. In combination, a support comprising a pair of members sloping in opposite directions from a horizontal plane, an ice tray supported in an inverted position on said members at diagonally opposite corners of said tray, said ice tray containing a plurality of separated ice blocks therein and adhering thereto, a storage receptacle disposed below said support, and means comprising co-acting levers to exert pressure on the unsupported diagonally opposite corners of said inverted tray to twist the tray and release the ice blocks therefrom into said storage receptacle.

4. In combination, a support comprising a pair or members sloping in opposite directions from a horizontal plane, an. ice tray supported in an inverted position on said members at diagonally opposite comers of said tray, said ice tray containing a plurality of separated ice blocks therein and adhering thereto, a storage receptacle disposed below said support, and means disposed above said tray and said support to exert pressure on diagonally opposite corners of said inverted tray to twgt the tray and release the ice blocks therefrom into said storage receptacle.

5. Means for flexing a distortable ice tray comprising a pair of oppositely disposed members, each of which is provided with a longitudinal channel for receiving the flanged rim of an ice tray, means for rigidly supporting one of said members, and means for pivotally supporting the other of said members, whereby movement of said pivotally supported member flexes said ice tray when it is supported by said members.

6. Means for flexing a distortable ice tray, said means comprising a pair 01 oppositely disposed members,each provided with a longitudinal chan- I otally supported member flexes said ice tray when nel. for receiving the flanged rim of an ice tray,

means for rigidly supporting one of said members, means for pivotally supporting the other of said members, whereby movement of said pivit is supported by-said members, and means for maintaining said pivotally supported member against movement under predetermined conditions.

7. Means for flexing a distortable ice tray, said means comprising a pair of inherently resilient U-shaped members disposed in a substantially 3 horizontal plane, means for spacing said members one above the other, so that the flanged rim of an ice tray may be received therebetween, means for rigidly supporting one arm of each of said U-shaped members, and means for pivotally supporting the other arm of each of said members,

whereby movement of said pivoted arms causes flexing of an ice tray supported thereby.

8. Means for flexing a distortable ice tray, said ,means comprising a pair of inherently resilient REFERENCES CITED The following references are 01' record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,113,014 Copeman Apr. 5, 1938 2,217,681 Jennings et al. a Oct, 5, 1940 2,223,947 Blood et a]. Dec. 3, 1940 2,342,860 Hedlund Feb. 29,- 1944 2,21 9,439 Blomquist et a1. Oct. 29, 1940 2,227,221 Gunion Dec. 31, 1940 Reeves June 3, 1941 

